XOLOS REACH END OF ROAD

Atletico Mineiro goalkeeper Victor Leandro Bagy is 6-foot-4 and wears probably a size 12 or 13 shoe. If he wore, say, an 11, the Tijuana Xolos would be in the semifinals of the Copa Libertadores.

It is hard to imagine a more agonizing end to a magical year for the Xolos, but it seems tragically appropriate for a team that does nothing without dramatic flair. Their pulsating 1-1 tie at Atletico Mineiro in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, eliminated them from the Copa Libertadores based on the away-goals tiebreaker, the Brazilians having scored more with a 2-2 tie in last week’s first leg in Tijuana.

Desperately needing a goal in second-half injury time, the Xolos suddenly were tossed a lifeline when defender-turned-forward Pablo Aguilar was hacked down in the box by Athletico Mineiro’s Leonardo Silva.

Duvier Riascos took the penalty kick, and Victor dove hard to his right. And Riascos blasted the ball down the middle.

Except at the last moment, Victor kicked up his left leg and somehow caught the ball with the toe of his boot, sending a packed Estadio Independencia into a delirious froth.

Less than a minute later, it was over for the Xolos. The game. The tournament. Their season. Their magic.

Maybe the balm of time will heal the scars, and Xolos fans will reflect fondly on an historic six months in which a club that didn’t exist seven years ago won the Liga MX title and made a Cinderella run deep into the Copa Libertadores. But for now, maybe for a while, they will rue a wondrous opportunity to hand Atletico Mineiro its first home loss since August 2011.

Riascos made it 1-0 in the 27th minute with a spectacular volley of Richard Ruiz’s cross, only for Rever to equalize shortly before halftime with a cheeky back heel of Ronaldinho’s corner kick.

Riascos’ missed PK will be hard to forget for Xolos fans. But so will Bruno Piceno’s chance.

Piceno, a 21-year-old product of the Xolos youth system, was a surprise sub for forward Alfredo Moreno in the 63nd minute. Seven minutes later, he found himself alone against Victor from 10 yards away and, perhaps unnerved by the magnitude of the moment, fired a shot into the charging goalkeeper instead of dribbling past him.